Gareth Ainsworth thinks QPR are ready to surprise the Championship after beating winless Middlesbrough 2-0 to leave them bottom of the table.
Andre Dozzell’s thunderbolt opener that crashed in off the inside of the post two minutes before half-time put Rangers on track for a second win of the season. It was his first in two years with the club.
And with 19 minutes remaining former Sunderland and Newcastle midfielder Jack Colback added the second on Teesside when he fired in through a crowded area.
Ainsworth, who did not add to his squad on transfer deadline day, thinks he has seen enough already this season to suggest QPR are going to make an impact on the division.
“The enjoyment comes from getting what you deserve, over the last three or four weeks,” said Ainsworth.
“I have had a good look at myself. How I want to play. And the boys are buying into the identity. They have emptied the tank for us.
“You can put the systems in place but you can’t always get them to empty the tank. These boys are a real team for me.
“I did a little graph before the game and showed them where I want them to go, they have bought into this upward curve. I have just said this isn’t a flash in the pan. It’s been sensational and two great goals.
“As a man who shoots from distance, Andre’s goal eclipsed my goals, that was so special.
“I’m really pleased for him, and I hope he takes a leaf out of Jack’s book of two in two – that’s one player we didn’t sign for his goalscoring quality.”
While Ainsworth was impressed, Boro counterpart Michael Carrick was left wondering how his side are still searching for a first league win. Middlesbrough have claimed just one point from 15.
Sam Greenwood and Lewis O’Brien, signed on loan from Leeds and Nottingham Forest respectively, both made second-half debuts for Middlesbrough but QPR claimed the points.
Middlesbrough, last season’s play-off semi-finalists, signed 12 players during the summer window, so the squad has a completely different feel to it.
One of those newcomers, striker Emmanuel Latte Lath, was denied a goal on numerous occasions by QPR goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.
Carrick said: “I’m disappointed really. We didn’t help ourselves for spells in the game, we had big chances as well, opportunities to score. We will accept it wasn’t good enough in general, that’s clear but at the same point we had the chances to take.
“We can’t keep saying it, we have to do something about it. I’m disappointed for the players, supporters, it’s not great for them to see that. Players have to find a way to get that spark back that we lacked today.
“Missing chances is part of it, the fact we are making a lot, clear-cut ones as well. Sometimes there is a spell when they don’t fall for you, but it is up to us to do something about it and make sure it doesn’t happen.
“We are having really big chances. That gives us a lot of confidence.
“There were a few things, we didn’t start as well as we could have. There are reasons we will have to look at. A slow start to the game made it harder, we were chasing after that. There were moments when we looked good and it was a mixed bag.”
Al-Ittihad 0-5 Al-Ettifaq: Ekambi scores hat-trick in five-star display
Karl Toko Ekambi netted a hat-trick as Al-Ettifaq got back to winning ways in style with a 5-0 thrashing of Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
He scored twice in four minutes at the end of the first half to send the visitors into the break 4-0 up before getting his third just 10 minutes after the break.
Seko Fofana had already given Steven Gerrard’s side the lead five minutes into the contest, while Moussa Dembele doubled their advantage from the penalty spot.
Al-Ittihad had the chances, but they could not find the back of the net, as they stayed fifth, but are now just six points above Al-Ettifaq.
Data Debrief: Clinical finishers
Al-Ettifaq had five shots on target against Al-Ittihad, scoring with all of them while creating an xG of 3.62.
With his hat-trick against Al-Ittihad, Ekambi has now scored 11 goals for the season, netting more than once for the first time since joining the club.
Al-Akhdoud 2-3 Al-Nassr: Brozovic stunner delays Al-Hilal coronation
Marcelo Brozovic scored twice – including a fine half-volley in second-half stoppage time – as Al-Nassr beat Al-Akhdoud 3-2 to delay Al-Hilal's Saudi Pro League title coronation on Thursday.
Former Inter midfielder Brozovic fired in a seventh-minute opener from outside the area before Cristiano Ronaldo tapped into an empty net to double the visitors' lead.
Sadio Mane struck the woodwork early in the second half and Al-Nassr relinquished control of the game from there, with goals from Hassan Al Habib and Saviour Godwin making it 2-2.
However, Brozovic blasted a bouncing ball home following a goalmouth scramble in the first of seven minutes of stoppage time to hand Al-Nassr a fifth straight win and keep them within nine points of Al-Hilal, with three games still to play.
They have only delayed the inevitable though as the leaders – who have only dropped four points all season – need just one more point to secure their crown ahead of facing Al-Hazm on Saturday.
Data Debrief: Brozovic upstages Ronaldo
While it's usually Ronaldo writing the headlines for Al-Nassr, he was upstaged by Brozovic on Thursday as the Croatian found the net with both of his shots, also leading all players on the pitch for final-third passes (19) and completing 90.1 per cent of his passes overall (81/95).
Liam Rosenior departs Hull City after 18 months in charge
Hull City have parted company with head coach Liam Rosenior with immediate effect.
Rosenior departs the MKM Stadium after 18 months in charge of the Tigers, who narrowly missed out on the Championship playoffs this season.
Hull were one point above the relegation zone when the former Derby County assistant succeeded Shota Arveladze in November 2022, but he guided them to safety in 15th place.
Rosenior signed a new three-year deal in December and oversaw just one defeat in Hull’s last seven games of this season, in which they finished seventh and just three points behind sixth-place Norwich City.
"This has been the most difficult decision I have had to make as chairman of this wonderful football club," said chairman and owner Acun Ilicali.
"Since Liam’s arrival, we have enjoyed an open working relationship and progress has undoubtedly been made over the course of his tenure. He will always be a part of this family and I thank him for all his work.
"However, it has become evident that our visions for the future are not aligned, and I feel that now is the time to make a change. I know what this football club can achieve, and we will not stop in the pursuit of that.
"We have worked hard over the last two years to develop our squad. We now have many highly talented players at our disposal, and we will continue to invest and improve our playing personnel to give this club and its fans the success they deserve."
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